There exists a continuing need for improved and enhanced abrasive materials that exhibit high strength and excellent abrasion properties for application in such areas as the polishing of glass for use in cathode ray tubes and the like.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/453,729 filed Dec. 2, 1999 and entitled, “Coal-Based Carbon Foams” describes a family of high strength, carbon foams having a density of preferably between about 0.1 g/cm3 and about 0.8 g/cm3 produced by the controlled heating of coal particulate preferably under a non-oxidizing atmosphere. The coal-based carbon foams produced in accordance with the method described in this application can be carbonized and graphitized to yield very strong carbon foams that are extremely resistant to oxidation and ablation.
The graphitized carbon foams described in this application, exhibit compressive strengths up to about 6000 psi and untreated demonstrate abrasive properties significantly better than those of the untreated coal-based carbon foams.